The Cuckoo's Calling

Published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, The Cuckoo's Calling is J.K.Rowling's first crime novel. I thought it would be an interesting book as its sales was overwhelming and its reception resounding. However, when I read it, I find it....hard to read. I am a Malaysian, and English is my second language. The book is written in strict British English and the sentence structures were too complicated for me, and the vocabulary was too wide for me too. It was definitely the most challenging book I have ever come across. However, the story plot was alright and ordinary, nothing unusual or extraordinary. There are also too many characters and it confounds me a lot. Anyway, I'll just bear in mind to shun British novels like this. Sorry it just doesn't suit me as my English isn't good enough.

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MH17

Four months after disappearance of MH370, a tragedy has struck again on our national carrier - Malaysia Airlines.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was allegedly shot down by a missile while traversing the Ukraine airspace.

No one has claimed responsibility of the tragedy, instead both countries in crisis began blaming each other.

MH17 carried 173 Dutch, 43 Malaysians, and passengers of other nationalities.

It is the darkest moment in Malaysia's history, and even darker for Malaysia Airlines. I believe there's no airline that has been hit with two major disasters within four months.

I was flabbergasted and sad. Malaysia Airlines did nothing wrong. The plane simply got caught in the crossfire of two conflicting countries.

I hope the perpetrators could be identified, and I hope a thorough and proper investigation could be carried out to ensure the culprits are put behind bars for the hideous acts on innocent people.

I hope Malaysia Airlines remains strong, and the people of Malaysia united in this very difficult time for the whole Malaysia.

Be Considerate

I have a friend who is now in a dilemma. On a specific day, he has plans with his family, but then he received a call from his friends from other states asking to go to his house on that particular day. My friend wanted to reject them as he prioritises his family outing, but his friends told him they have bought the bus ticket. He is now in a dilemma, he needs to go out with his family, but then his friends are coming up and he has no choice but to entertain.

This actually angers me. Sometimes I just wish people could be a little considerate.

I understand friends are supposed to entertain each other, and that friends should care for each other. Brothers are a kind of friendship built as fort - it is to be defended and it resists attacks, and it suffers and enjoys together.

Yet there's one thing we need to remember: we have grown up. While we agree that friends are important, we have to remember something too: with increasing freedom, we have increasing responsibilities.

Everyone now has their own lives. Now, we have families we have to stay with. We have errands and jobs to do that hugely affect your future. We have lots of things that are important to tend to. We are no longer like a schoolchildren - free for most of the time, duty and responsibility free, and has nothing to worry about except transport and money.

We have grown up. We sometimes need to ditch the childish thought that says 'you must be available when I call'.

You need to be considerate and responsible. Don't put people in that kind of dilemma. You can't take for granted your friends could accompany you 24/7 just because they used to when you were in school.

Call if you want to drop by and visit if you are coming for far. Give someone an advanced notice.

If my friend so happened is sick, outstation, or is nursing a sick patient in his house, and his friends go to his house without giving advanced notice, or, if they do, give notice making an irreversible decision, what would happen to him? How would my friend feel if his friends say they have bought the bus ticket and they could no place to go, but then he has a sick grandparent at home that needs peace? What happens if my friend has a wedding ceremony to attend to, and his friends insist on coming anyway?

To people out there: please be considerate, don't put people into that kind of unnecessary dilemma. Soon, when some have got married and have children, they would have their wives/husbands and children to take care of. You can't instruct them to tend to you just because you are a friend.

You need to realise that you can't take friendship for granted.

You can ask for help if you are in deep trouble. For example, if you are coming up from Kajang but then your car broke down somewhere close to a friend's house at midnight, then disturbing him and asking for a favour is okay. You need help, it's necessary, and you should be helped.

If you got robbed and in a deep trouble and hope a friend nearby could help, and you go look for him unannounced is also okay. You need help.

But in the event like my friend's, you don't need help. Don't make this kind of irresponsible and inconsiderate moves.

And to my friends out there: there comes a time you need to learn to reject. Our lives have got much busier as we now have larger responsibilities, and so we could not cater to all friends' needs even if we wish to. We have to sometimes reject a friend's request if it is not important. You need to learn to reject something you could not help or if you feel offended or taken advantage of.

Growing up sucks, you can say. But that's life. Deal with the unpleasant.

Dragon

You know,

if you want a child who is well-behaved,

a child who grows up the normal he should,

a child that would be obedient, polite, and not at all rude,

don't give birth in the dragon year.

All I can see now is that dragon year babies are badly spoilt

by parents who are superstitious

who thinks that they bring good fortune or luck to the family

and who thought they would be active instead of passive.

Owing to that many people have chosen to give birth in dragon year,

and due to that we have too many students in a school for that year's intake,

and due to that one class would contain too many students,

and due to that discipline is extremely hard to control.

Exacerbated by the fact that they are overly protected,

it makes them very hard to control in the school,

and very hard to have discipline and manners instilled.

Don't give birth in dragon year,

if you love your children.

Gift

So I left the office and found the fairly naughty boy roaming around. He saw me and immediately he turned around and called for his buddy, and he began to appear nervous, as if something huge was coming. My instincts told me something was wrong - nobody reacted that way when they bumped into a teacher. Why would they?

So he caught up with his friend on our way up, and upon turning a corner I caught a glimpse of the class. Several people were out the class, apparently peeking at where I was. Upon catching sight of me, they nervously turned back into the class.

So the two "guides" guided me to the front of the class. The classroom door was closed tight, and so was the back door. I knew when I pushed open the door, something was bound to transpire. Something perhaps unpleasant but it definitely was going to be unexpected as I wasn't prepared for anything unforeseen.

I moved a bit further to attempt to see what was happening behind the door. I saw nothing, but a class of students sitting silently in the class as if something sudden was going to abruptly materialise anytime soon. The back door was shut tight. I was forced to enter through the front door. I pushed open the door without stepping in, and I saw the students sitting on their chairs without moving or talking, and a guy standing right behind the door. I actually thought they were going to pour me a bucket of water, or to throw thrashes at me. But turned out I was merely too imaginative. The moment I stepped inside, I was hit with something, and the class broke into screams. I got momentarily flabbergasted and turned to see what had hit me - and there it was, the Stitch, lying on the floor in a bag with a collection of signature.

                           

I had to admit, I was stunned for a moment and didn't know what had actually happened and how to react. Perhaps my momentary lack or devoid of response and unintentionally offended several students as my response was, at the moment, inappropriate and incongruous. I am deeply sorry for that. It took me a while to catch up with what had happened, and a feeling of elation began to brew, and burst, though I had smartly suppressed it.

I was touched. To be given a duty to d something you have not much confidence in, but to be somehow rewarded for your effort of trying is indeed a feeling that is beyond describable. The best feeling in this world is to be felt appreciated, especially after you have tried your best very to accomplish something you never thought you could have done, and you thought you have failed.

Thank you, 2A2! I will never forget all of you, for your warmth, for your sincerity, and for your surprise. The biggest surprise in my life! =)